Haloween’s history dates back to the ancient Pagan religion of the Celtic tribes, who worshipped the Sun God along with 300 other Gods. It is believed that the ancient ethnic group celebrated two major festivals a year, Beltane and Samhain or Saman. However, there are some facts you never know about this festival.
Halloween is the time of year when people can shed inhibitions and dress in spooky costumes. The festival is celebrated on 31 October, a day before the Christian feast of All Saints’ Day or All Hallows Day. In 2016, the celebration falls on Monday. Actually, it is Christian festival because it’s celebrating on the eve of All Saints Day.
Halloween’s history
Halloween as a world’s funniest festival is celebrating everywhere. Even the countries of the former USSR loved this holiday and got new habit linked to 31 October. So, an army of fans of Halloween is growing up year to year.
History of Halloween linked to the harvest, this festival signifies the time to stock supplies and prepare for a harsh winter. According to some theories, Samhain or the lord of death, overpowers the sun during the winter and allows evil spirits to roam on Earth on the day of Halloween and cause mayhem on harvests.
Halloween facts
1. Halloween was originally called “Cabbage night” in certain towns
Why? Well, because there was a Scottish game where girls used cabbage stumps to determine their futures. The Huffington Post states that they were specifically trying to predict information regarding their future husbands. Sounds like an old school version of “Mashed,” no?
2. Jack-O-Lanterns were originally not made out of pumpkins
Since Halloween originated in Ireland, so did the carving of pumpkins… only, they didn’t use pumpkins, because there was any pumpkin in Ireland. As Pumpkin Nook reveals, in place of pumpkins, the Irish used turnips to make their jack-o-lantern masterpieces.
3. Halloween didn’t originate in America
According to The History Channel, the holiday actually came from Ireland’s Celtic festival for the dead, “Samhain.” For them, the festival represented the ending of the old and the welcoming of the new.
4. You used to have to dance for your candy
If only it were still like this, right? The Huffington Post also writes that in the earliest versions of trick-or-treating, men would go from house to house while performing dances, singing songs, and acting out sketches in exchange for money. This was originally a form of begging, but it quickly turned into a candy collecting tradition.
5. It’s the day that Harry Houdini died
Most people know the story of Harry Houdini’s death: A ruptured appendix did the famous magician in. But, did you know that he passed away on Oct. 31, 1926? Seems only fitting that America’s most iconic magician would leave this world on a day when ghosts supposedly enter it.
Halloween’s habits
The main habit during the celebration this autumn festival is to decorate everything in two colours only. Which ones? It’s orange and black, actually. Well, that’s not random.
The habit of using these two colours has its own explanation, too. Orange represents the harvest and black represents the death of summer. Now you know!
